Downtown Visalia arson suspect charged with two felonies, pleads not guilty
The man accused of starting a dumpster fire that ultimately torched three downtown Visalia businesses has been charged with two counts of felony arson, the Tulare County District Attorney's Office announced Wednesday afternoon.
Visalia detectives sought attempted murder charges, jail records show, but prosecutors didn't find evidence the man tried to kill anyone. No one was injured in the blaze.
Jessie Hager, 56, of Visalia, is accused of starting the fire that destroyed Alejandra's Restaurant, Jimmy John's and Decor to Adore on Main Street, displacing dozens of evacuated workers who watched their livelihoods go up in flames on Sunday afternoon.
Dozens of firefighters worked tirelessly through the night to contain the fire that also threatened the historic Visalia Fox Theatre. The landmark was spared, but the damage to the businesses within the Alejandra's building was extensive.
More: 'Suspicious' Downtown Visalia fire under control, several businesses damaged
Photos of the aftermath showed the roof had collapsed and city inspectors are still working to determine the full extent of the damages.
Visalia officers arrested Hager on Monday, just one day after the massive blaze sent plumes of smoke hanging over the city. Detectives did not tell the Times-Delta what led them to Hager, who has an extensive rap sheet of mostly petty crimes spanning the downtown area and other commercial centers.
Several downtown businesses shared surveillance footage with detectives and their investigation is ongoing, the DA's office said. A police report is not yet publicly available.
Hager pleaded not guilty during his Wednesday afternoon arraignment. He is scheduled back in court on May 16 in Department 4 of the Tulare County Superior Court.
His bail is set at $275,000 — half of his original bail amount.
Rap sheet
In 2014, Hager was arrested for resisting an officer who had attempted to remove Hager from sleeping in front of the Fox Theatre. He was arrested in 2016 for public intoxication on East Main Street.
Petty theft charges at the North Visalia Target and Harbor Freight Tools also appear on Visalia police records.
Most recently, Hager had been arrested after crashing his bike while intoxicated and fleeing an ambulance.
Anyone with information regarding the downtown fire is urged to contact Visalia Police Department at 734-8117.
Joshua Yeager is a reporter with the Visalia Times-Delta and a Report for America corps member. He covers Tulare County news deserts with a focus on the environment and local governments.
Follow him on Twitter @VTD_Joshy. Get alerts and keep up on all things Tulare County for as little as $1 a month. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Visalia arson suspect charged with two felonies, pleads not guilty
